Introduction: overview of the development of modern semiconductor-based technologies, connections between new technologies and fundamental research.
Heterostructures: general characteristics, III-V material systems, practical performance of heterostructures (fabrication techniques), doped heterostructures, strained layers, nanowires and quantum dots.
Models of low-dimensional semiconductors: various 1D, 2D and 3D potential quantum well models relevant for describing low-dimensional semiconductors are solved.
Electronic transport through heterostructures: tunneling as a quantum-mechanical phenomenon (repetition), T-matrix formalism, tunneling currents, resonant tunnel diode, coherent transport, conductance quantization and Landauer's formula.
Effects in electric and magnetic fields: review of relevant concepts from quantum mechanics, density of states in various dimensions, Landau levels, Shubnikov-de Haas effect, integer quantum Hall effect, Aharonov-Bohm effect.
High Mobility Electron Transistor (HEMT): Zone Diagram, Electrostatic Analysis, Threshold Voltage, Gate and Channel Capacitance.
Additional topics: various additional topics from the respective field will be offered, which students can work on individually or in groups in the form of mini-projects.
